A soundbar is a long, thin speaker designed to sit just in front of or below your television, to provide much bigger, clearer and more immersive sound than a TV alone can manage. Today’s flat and thin TVs don’t have much space for powerful speakers, so their sound is often thin and unsatisfying. Adding a soundbar can just make people’s voices clearer – or it can create a home theater experience.
Soundbars come in different sizes, with different levels of features, aimed at different budgets. You can get small ones suitable for TVs of 32 inches that just add louder, clearer sound, for example. You can get mid-sized ones that start from being cheap and simple, but will range up to options with virtual surround sound. And you can get big soundbars suitable for TVs of 55 inches and up that deliver a huge audio upgrade, usually with Dolby Atmos 3D sound.
Pretty much all soundbars either connect over HDMI ARC to a compatible HDMI port on your TV, or over an optical digital connection. HDMI ARC means you can control them from your TV’s remote with no extra steps, so is usually the preferred option – and it’s the only way to get Dolby Atmos. Some soundbars come with subwoofers for better bass, or even rear speakers to deliver a true surround-sound experience.
Latest about Soundbars
5 cheap soundbars that will make back-to-school sound better
Make your TV and movies sound awesome with a soundbar – the perfect back to school companion
What's the difference between Samsung's 2023 and 2025 flagship Dolby Atmos soundbars? I've been using both to find out
We tested the new Samsung HW-Q990F alongside its Samsung HW-Q990C predecessor to see if there are any changes in Samsung's latest flagship soundbar.
The best soundbars for all budgets, all tested by us
Updated From budget-friendly bars to Dolby Atmos wonders, the best soundbars make it easy to get a serious TV audio upgrade.
Yamaha’s new Dolby Atmos soundbar wants to make Samsung’s 3D sound look pitiful – this speaker setup is wild
Yamaha takes the Gillette approach with its latest Atmos soundbar, and adds more upfiring drivers for more precise sound
This small, cheap soundbar has custom modes so you can sit right next to it, or use it to fill a room from your TV
The Creative Stage Pro soundbar makes big sound for smaller spaces
LG S95AR vs LG S95TR: which is the better Dolby Atmos soundbar to pair with your LG OLED TV?
The LG S95AR and S95TR are different, but they might not be different enough to justify you buying the newer, more expensive model.
LG S95AR soundbar review: a full-featured, immersive Dolby Atmos system in a box
The LG S95AR is a pricey, but feature-filled soundbar that delivers impressively immersive sound.
Hi-fi legend KEF unveils its first Dolby Atmos soundbar, and this is one to get excited about
KEF's first Atmos soundbar promises a "transcendent" spatial audio experience
